The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1887-06-09

weary brain. When he died journalism
in the State lost its best furnished editor;
the State mourned for patriotic son. the
party deplored the loss of the services of
an able champion and defender; his friends
and family sOrrOwed most of all that they
had been so sorely bereft.
PETER M. HALE.
Extract from An Elegant Editorial in the
Wilmington Star.l
We had known him for forty years. What
handsome, neat, engaging, bright youth
he was He had in his boyhood, smooth,
soft skin like a pretty girl, with delicate
tint on the cheeks that added to the charm,
and an eye that was dark and beautiful,
one Of the brightest and most winning we
had ever seen. 1t was an eye of rare in
telligence. He was born in Fayetteville
in 1928, we suppose, but We had thought
in 1929, and was the son of Edward J.
Hale, the editor of the old Observer that
for thirty or forty years was most infiu
ential Whig exponent in North Carolina.
1t was the time of weeklies and semi week
lies, and when the conduct of papers was
very different from what it is now. 1t was
the time of slow coaches and easy life
when no man ever got in hurry, when
generous scholarship and wide acquisition
distinguished the educated men of the
State, and when the women read the best
books and were familiar with the standard
British authors and discoursed upon them
with pleasing facility, discrimination and
taste. Mr.. Hale, Senior, was man of
real ability, Of great Eoldness and sinceri-
ty of conviction, and welded power for
his party that exceeded that of any Wing
editor in the State. He was in fact in his
day the ablest of the Whig editors as Lor-
ing was the ablest of Democratic editors
and afterwards as was Holden. Peter
was well prepared for college, and was
one of the best scholars in his class at the
University. He was graduated with the first
honors. He joined his father in the edit
ing of the Observer learned the mechani-
cal part of newspaper office, and was,
take him all in all, the best equipped editor
in the State, or, as far as this writer
knows, that was ever in the State. His su-
perior natural abilities, his acquaintance
with the ancient classics, his general read
ing, his practical talents, his very reten-
tive memory, his thorough knowledge of
''the art preservative of all arts" his in
dustry, his capacity as proof reader, his
cultivated taste his facility with the pen,
all combined to equip him admirably for
the editorial office.
We believe he was the best furnished
editor that North Carolina has produced.
We do not think him an ADLER man than his
former associate, Col. William l.. Saunders,
but he was much better trained and pro-
vided for the maniford duties of journalism
and editorship.
And then Major Hale was such a true,
manly Southrcn He had no concession
to give, no retraction or apology to make,
no incense to offer to the enemies of the
South. He was man of principles, of
convictions, of honor, Of courage. He
loved North Carolina. He stood up
for its good name against all 'witlings,"
and gave the world fine example in his
own character of the modest, cultivated,
infiexible, ncorruptible, able North Caro-
linian.
We cannot undertake to present por-
trait of our friend Those who have been
thrown with him in intimate and contiding
association through the last decades must
present the lineaments Of his positive and
striking personality We only hoped to
give our estimate of his superior worth
that our friends might see what a great
loss North Carolina had sustained in his
death He was one of the foremost men
of the State He had ability enough to
have asserted his superiority upon any
arena he might have been willing to enter.
Like so many able men he was not known
to the masses at his full worth. There
are but few who can really estimate Alright
the worth of those noble men cast in the
higher moulds and of finer and richer
material.
Programme of Davidson College Com.
mencement. =
The following is the programme for the
Semi Centennial Commencement of David
son College:
June 18th, II A. NJ: Baccalaureate Ser
mon-Rev A. w. Miller, D. D., Charlotte,
| N. c.; at P NJ: Missionary Sermon be-
| fore the Y NJ. G. A.-Rev. W. A. Hall, D.
D., Lynchburg, Va.
June 14th, II A. NJ: Annual Meeting of
| Trustees; at P. NJ. Annual Reunion of
Literary Societies.
| June 18th, beginning at 10 A. NJ: Semi
| Centennial Address before Alumni and
| Literary SOcieties-Hon. A. Leazer, N. G.
Historical Address-Rev. J. Rumple, D.
D., N. c.
Address on Denominational Colleges
Rev w. NJ. Grier, D. D., President Frs
kline College, S. G.
June 18th, beginning at P. NJ, Com
memorative Addresses:
| 1. Administration of Rev. r. Il. Morri-
| son, D. D., Hon. J. G. Ramsay, N. G.
g Administration of Rev. Samuel Will
hanson, D. D., Hon. A. White, S. G.
3. Administration of Rev. D. Lacy, D.
D., Rev. r. Z. Johnston, N. G.
| 4. Administration of Rev. J. L. Kirk
patrick, D. D., Prof. J. r. Blake, S. G.
5. Administration of Rev. G.. W. Nc
Phail, D. D., Rev. W. A. Miner, Ga.
6. Administration of Prof. J. R. Blake,
Col. A. r. Banks, S. c.
Z. Administration of Rev. A. D. Hep
burn, D. D., E. c. Smith, Esq, N. G.
June 18th, P NJ: Oratorial Contest by
Representatives of the Literary Societies.
June 10Th, A. NJ: Exercises of Com
mencement Proper.
The railroads will give reduced rates.